Standard Lemma guide

impasse

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈæmpɑːs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /æmˈpɑːs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɪmpɑːs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɪmˈpɑːs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈɪmpæs/
  • General-American: /ɪmˈpæs/
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 M P AE1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: IH1 M P AE2 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A road with no exit; a cul-de-sac.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A deadlock or stalemate situation in which no progress can be made.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a street with only one way in or out

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blind alley, cul de sac, dead-end street

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: thoroughfare

4

noun

Meaning 4

a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • reached an impasse on the negotiations

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deadlock, dead end, stalemate, standstill

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: situation

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. French im- French passe French impassebor. English impasse Borrowed from French impasse.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 死路 (sǐlù) — road with no exit
  • Chinese Mandarin: 死胡同 (sǐhútòng) — road with no exit
  • Finnish: umpikuja — road with no exit
  • Spanish: impasse — road with no exit
  • Spanish: impás — road with no exit
  • Arabic: مأزق — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Bulgarian: безизходица (bezizhodica) — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Catalan: cul-de-sac — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Catalan: atzucac — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 僵局 (jiāngjú) — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Czech: patová situace — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Czech: slepá ulička — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Danish: blindgyde — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Finnish: umpikuja — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • French: impasse — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • French: voie sans issue — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • German: Patt — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • German: Hängepartie — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • German: Sackgasse — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • German: Pattsituation — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • German: festgefahrene Situation — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • German: ausweglose Situation — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Greek: αδιέξοδο (adiéxodo) — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Hungarian: zsákutca — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Hungarian: holtpont — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Hungarian: patthelyzet — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Italian: vicolo cieco — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Italian: impasse — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Italian: cul de sac — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Japanese: 行き詰まり (yukizumari) — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Kazakh: тығырық (tyğyryq) — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Māori: whakamāraritanga — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Polish: impas — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Polish: zastój — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Polish: matnia — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Polish: ślepa uliczka — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Portuguese: impasse — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Russian: тупи́к (tupík) — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Serbo-Croatian: ћорсокак — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Serbo-Croatian: ćorsokak — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Spanish: punto muerto — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Spanish: impasse — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Spanish: impás — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Spanish: callejón sin salida — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Swedish: dödläge — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Swedish: död punkt — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Thai: ทางตัน (taang-dtan) — deadlock or stalemate situation
  • Vietnamese: ngõ cụt — deadlock or stalemate situation